Russia-Ukraine war: Israel ‘committed to sovereignty’ of Ukraine, says foreign minister

In addition to maintaining a "persistent" military presence in the area, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that Washington is prepared to protect the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania if need be.

“We are committed to Article 5, you can bet on that,” Austin said, reiterating the requirement in the NATO Charter that each member of the alliance defend each other if attacked.

Bakhmut will likely come under Moscow's control within a few months, according to the leader of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group.

Russia has been shelling and enclosing the city in the partially-occupied eastern Donetsk area for months under the leadership of the Wagner group, whose numbers have been bolstered by recruits from jail.

US President Joe Biden will host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on March 3 for discussions on Ukraine, the White House has said.

“At the one-year mark of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the leaders will discuss our ongoing efforts to support Ukraine, impose costs on Russia for its aggression, and strengthen transatlantic security,” the White House said in a statement.

Upon visiting the war-torn country for the first time since Russia's invasion, Israel's foreign minister declared that his nation is "committed to the sovereignty" of Ukraine.

“Israel stands firmly in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Eli Cohen said during a news conference in Kyiv with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the alliance must be ready for a long standoff with Russia as ongoing Ukraine continues to escalate. 

Stoltenberg said in an interview with the news agency AFP: "President Putin wants a different Europe, wants a Europe where he can control neighbours, where he can decide what countries can do." 

Ahead of the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion, NATO chief said that "we need to be prepared for the long haul, this may last for many, many, many, many years." 

In a tit-for-tat move, the Russian authorities have expelled four Austrian diplomats. As reported by news agencies, Moscow said that it was expelling four Austrian diplomats after Vienna expelled four employees of Russia's foreign missions in Austria. 

Tensions between the West and Russia have been rising over the Ukraine conflict. The foreign ministry said the expulsion of its diplomats had been an "unfriendly and unjustified step" and that four employees of Austria's embassy in Russia were "declared persona non grata" and given until February 23 to leave the country. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group private military company (PMC), said that he expects the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut to be encircled in March or April. His comments were seen in footage published by his company's press service on Thursday (February 16). 

Prigozhin said, "The guys just asked me, I think (Wagner Group will manage to encircle Bakhmut) in March or April. Although it is very difficult to guess. It depends on their (Ukrainian forces) activity. They are receiving new types of weapons now. (I'm) one hundred percent sure we will be destroying these Leopards (German tanks). One hundred percent we'll sort out how to burn them. This is yet another very important factor."

Amid a raging fight in the eastern front of Ukraine, Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko weighed in on his nation's participation in the ongoing war. Lukashenko said on Thursday he would only order his troops to fight alongside ally Russia if another country launches an attack against Belarus. 

The state-run Belta news agency reported that also said he planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. 

Belta quoted Lukashenko as telling a news conference that he is ready to fight with the Russians from the territory of Belarus in "only one case". 

He also mentioned the conditions as he said, the nation will enter the war "if even one soldier comes onto the territory of Belarus to kill my people". 

"If they commit aggression against Belarus, the response will be the most severe, and the war will take on a completely different nature," he added. 

Norway on Thursday approved an aid package worth $7.4 billion for Ukraine. Oslo has pledged 15 billion kroner annually in civilian aid between 2023 and 2027. 

Ukraine on Thursday (February 16) claimed that it witnessed a wave of overnight missiles by Russia, which killed at least one woman and several buildings were damaged. 

News agency AFP quoted presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak as saying that "unfortunately, there were hits in the north and west of Ukraine, as well as in the (central regions of) Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovograd". 

Sergiy Lysak, who is the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, posted some images on Telegram of firefighters working in the debris of partially destroyed residential homes. 

Lysak said that the strikes killed a 79-year-old woman.